Scottish copter crash: At least 8 dead, but a 'miracle' more not killed

By David Simpson and Chelsea J. Carter, CNN

Updated 0106 GMT (0906 HKT) December 1, 2013

Photos: Helicopter crashes into Glasgow pub19 photos

Helicopter crashes into Glasgow pub – The wreckage of a police helicopter is lifted from the collapsed roof of Clutha pub in Glasgow on Tuesday, December 2. Eight people have been killed and 14 seriously injured since a police aircraft crashed into a downtown pub.

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Photos: Helicopter crashes into Glasgow pub19 photos

Helicopter crashes into Glasgow pub – Rescuers work to lift the police helicopter wreckage from the roof of the pub on December 2.

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Photos: Helicopter crashes into Glasgow pub19 photos

Helicopter crashes into Glasgow pub – A police officer lays flowers new the pub on Sunday, December 1.

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Photos: Helicopter crashes into Glasgow pub19 photos

Helicopter crashes into Glasgow pub – Members of the public wait on Sunday to lay flowers near to the Clutha pub in Glasgow.

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Photos: Helicopter crashes into Glasgow pub19 photos

Helicopter crashes into Glasgow pub – Rescue workers in Glasgow, Scotland, tend to the scene Saturday, November 30, where a police helicopter crashed into the Clutha Bar.

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Photos: Helicopter crashes into Glasgow pub19 photos

Helicopter crashes into Glasgow pub – The damaged helicopter rests on the roof of the Clutha Bar.

The pub was packed with Friday night drinkers when the helicopter crashed through the roof

Authorities found eight bodies Saturday in the ruins of a Glasgow pub struck by a police helicopter and feared more would be discovered as they slowly explored the unstable building.

But it might have been much worse, according to a senior journalist who saw the crash.

The downtown Clutha Bar was packed with about 150 people listening to a band about 10:15 p.m. Friday, but far more people would have been endangered just a short walk away in Glasgow's central shopping district, said Gordon Smart, editor of the Scottish Sun newspaper.

From a nearby parking deck, Smart watched the helicopter tumble into the bar and waited for an explosion and fireball. A blast might have killed hundreds in the busy area, Smart said.

Instead, he said, there was an "eerie silence."

"I think it's a miracle that more people didn't die," Smart told CNN.

Three perish on helicopter, at least five on ground

Three of the dead were two police officers and the civilian pilot of the helicopter, Chief Constable Stephen House of Police Scotland said. Five more victims had been inside the pub.

Fourteen people remain seriously injured in Glasgow hospitals, House said. Earlier, police said 32 in total were taken to local hospitals.

Glasgow police early Sunday announced that one body had been removed from the building, with more still inside.

"Safety work will continue during the evening to stabilize the building and helicopter to ensure a safe working environment for emergency personnel," a police statement said.

House said he expected the recovery operation to continue for "many days."

Authorities offered no theories on the cause of the crash.

Police Scotland used its Facebook page to appeal to the public for "any photographs, audio or video footage they have of the incident or surroundings areas."

'Fell from the sky like a stone'

Smart was on top of a six-story parking deck when he heard a gargling sound "like a car running out of petrol but incredibly loud."

"I looked around, and in front of me, between 500 feet and 1,000 feet in the air, I could see a helicopter in distress. And then suddenly it just completely lost power and fell from the sky like a stone and tumbled over, nose over tail," Smart said.

From his vantage point in front of the pub, Smart could not see the helicopter after impact.

'What I did see, and it's something that will stick with me for the rest of my life, was Glaswegian people running toward the scene, not away from the scene, people running to help, not running away from what could have been a huge explosion," Smart said.

Grief and pride

The head of the Scottish government, First Minister Alex Salmond, said it was a "black day for Glasgow and for Scotland."

But, he said, people should take heart from the swift response of emergency responders and the "instinctive courage of ordinary Glaswegians" in the face of adversity.

"As First Minister, it's a day we can take great pride in how we've responded to this extraordinary tragedy," he said. Salmond said that Saturday is St. Andrew's Day, Scotland's national day.

British Prime Minister David Cameron extended his deepest sympathies to those who lost loved ones, and he praised emergency responders and "the bravery of ordinary Glaswegians who rushed to help."

Inside: Surreal quiet before alarm

The helicopter struck the pub as patrons listened to the Esperanza band, which had taken the stage a short time earlier.

"Most of the helicopter appeared to be inside the pub," said Jim Murphy, a UK member of parliament who arrived at the site moments later and saw people scrambling out to get out. Murphy represents a portion of Glasgow.

Patrons described a surreal quiet, followed by alarm.

"We were watching the band and there was kind of like a (roof) panel fell, there was a whoosh of dust, said Grace Maclean. "Then we laughed that the band said, 'We didn't think we were going to bring the roof down,'" Maclean said.

Band manager Gary Anderson described his bewilderment when he heard "a loud bang followed by lots of debris, smoke, stuff coming coming towards where I was standing at the door."

People he knew pulled him outside into the street, he said, where he could see the rotor blades sticking out of the building's roof.

"The fire brigade, paramedics, police were all there within minutes and everybody was just helping folk who could get out, just shouting on them because at this time you couldn't really see much inside, you were just trying to help people out and shouting to them, 'come here, come here' towards the doors," he said.

"There were people staggering out, there were lots of people coming out with blood pouring from their head and covered with all sorts of just debris from whatever it was had happened."

In a Facebook posting, the band indicated that all its members made it out safe.

"It seems that the band are all OK. Not so sure about everyone else," the post said.

A later post, by the band's bass guitar player, spoke of the realization "that it is all definitely horribly real. Despite the situation everyone was so helpful and caring of each other. The police, ambulances, firefighters all did a stellar job and continue to do so today in extremely difficult conditions."

Smoke and people running

Christina O'Neill, who saw the crash from her apartment across the street, said she heard what sounded like a low-flying airplane.

"I thought that didn't sound right for a couple of seconds," she said.

After the sound of impact, she saw smoke and people running from the pub.

"I know there were a lot of people lying on the ground kind of getting looked into," she said.